TM4T - Time Management Basics
Time Management comes in many guises, but in most cases it represents a solution to a problem: a problem which is endemic in Western society, and especially common in Teaching. For an example of the basic problem and to see if it applies to you (maybe you are immune), click here.
Below, we have listed the seventeen basic principles of good time management. These aren't specific to teachers, and we can't really take much credit for them - they're spattered around a whole host of standard texts in the subject. These are all ideas; different time management methods have different advice on how to put these ideas into practice...
1. Be brave in your long-term planning.You only have one life, and anything is possible.
2. Be clear on your goals in life, your vision, how you define success, and what values are important to you. Read more here
3. Understand the notion of Opportunity Cost; understand the 80:20 rule. Put these into practice. Choose what to do and how long to spend doing it. Read more here.
4 No matter what happens in the movies, great things - like long journeys - are invariably achieved through a series of tiny steps. These steps need planning. More here.
5. Know thyself. More here.
5. Understand how goals and objectives differ. Understand what makes a good objective. Keep 'em attainable, monitorable and positive. More here.
6. Respond to challenges; don't react.
7. Tackle bad habits; build good ones. More here . Oh, and here.
8. Get the tools you need: planners etc. More here
9. Tackle dead time and transitions. More here and here
10. Find efficient ways of working. More here and here.
11. Decide if/when you'll work at home and when you won't. More here.
12. Deal with procrastination. More here.
13. Learn to say 'Err well, I'd really like to but...'. More here.
14. Try to be paperless. More here.
15. Use good practise for e-mails, phones, letters. More here.
16. Suss out meetings. More here.
17. Delegate.